Intimately Rearranged
by norrific
Summary: Another AU, it which everybody lives.
1. Chapter 1

**I disclaim. I own nothing.**

**AN: First, for anyone reading Once I Was that fic will be updated next week. The plan is to go back to my schedule of updating each fic every other week. As for this fic, it's extremely AU, and it's going to be long. Easily longer than my other SOA fics. It won't be a terribly angsty fic though the Jax/Tara will be a slow burn. And while they will flirt and tease each other, they will also be with other people as well. But this will actually be a lot lighter than Once I Was. **

**Chapter 1**

_1992_

The room was dark, easily darker than any other room in the house, but that was largely due to the black out shades hanging over the windows filtering out the faint light provided by the quarter moon. His sister was a professional sleeper. His old man would joke that if it was an Olympic sport she'd bring home the gold every time. Everyone found it funny until she slept straight through the neighbors house nearly burning down.

If they were in their old house he'd be able to find his way around, he was use to the dark there, and he knew that room as well as his own. But if they were in their old house he wouldn't be here to begin with.

Still, he found his way to the bed. And by found, he tripped over what he figured were a pair of shoes and fell face first into it.

"Aw, fuck, Ope."

Of course, even in the pitch blackness, his sister knew exactly who crashed into her. "Sorry." He pushed off of her, but since his eyes hadn't quite adjusted to the dark one of his hands dug right into her hip. She cried out in pain and he winced at the sound. "Sorry."

"Jeez, little brother."

Tara Grace Winston was born January 17th 1978, eight months before her brother Harry "Opie" Winston, who came into the world August 5th of the same year. Their mother Mary, whenever people gave her odd looks about her children being born so close together, liked to point out that Opie had come more than six weeks early. They were in the same grade, four months out of the year they were the same age, and because of that people often referred to them as twins. The town they grew up in-Charming-was small enough for people to know that they weren't, still it didn't stop them from saying it.

When they were toddlers they were the same size. Then they hit early childhood and Tara shot by her brother easily. Tara had remained taller for quite awhile. But over the summer, Opie had his first growth spurt. Now he was easily taller than she was. But she was still older and she took great pleasure in reminding him of that.

Very much aware of just how much he out weighed his sister, Opie apologized again. "Sorry."

"It's alright. What's going on?"

Opie stretched out on the bed beside her. There was a time it was much easier for them to lay on a bed together. At the old house she had a double, one that could easily support her and his much larger frame. Now she only had a twin and he wasn't sure which one of them would fall off first. "I'm getting out of here, Tara. I'm going back home."

"This _is_ home now, Opie."

"No it's not. Home is in Charming. Don't you miss the old man, our friends."

"You know I do."

Opie heard the hurt in her voice and could have kicked himself. Whereas he'd been allowed to go back to Charming over the summer break, Tara hadn't. Their mother used the fact that she had no one to stay with as an excuse to keep Tara in Oakland all summer long. Both of them had pointed out they had a father she could stay with, but Mary wasn't trying to hear that. "She had no right to move us here. She knows how important it is for me and Jax to prospect together. And for you to be student body president. None of that's going to happen now."

Shifting onto her side, Tara tucked her hands under her pillow. Her eyes were beginning to adjust to the darkness and she could just make out her brother's silhouette. But she didn't have to see him to know the look on his face, the sadness that had been in his eyes since their mother packed them up and moved them away from Charming. Away from home. "You can still prospect. Four years, you'll be eighteen, she can't keep you here then."

Opie knew what his sister said was true. The club wouldn't let him prospect until he was eighteen anyway. But in four years he'd go in a step back. Instead of being a hang around for the next four years, he'd be going back essentially a stranger. "What about you? What are the odds you could be class president at a new school?"

My brother, Tara thought as her lips curled in a sleepy smile, always concerned about me. She'd swear her brother was the most selfless person in the world. It was why she loved him so much, why she loved him best. "We'd be starting a new school anyway."

High school, Opie thought. He hadn't been looking forward to it, not the way Jax and Tara had. Tara loved school, fuck if he knew why. And Jax, he'd just been looking forward to the high school girls. "Yeah, but that would have been with people we've known our whole lives. We don't know the kids here. Kids in Charming would have made you class president, easy. Oakland isn't Charming."

"Ope." Tara hated the sadness she heard in his voice. "We should just try to make the best of this."

Opie hated how resigned she sounded. "I'm going back, Tara. Tonight."

Tara was quiet for a long while, so long in fact Opie was afraid she's gone back to sleep. But then she sighed and when she spoke it was as she was sitting up in the bed. "Give me a few seconds to get dressed, I'll come with you.'

Though he knew she couldn't see it, Opie smiled. When it mattered, even when it didn't, he could always count on his sister.

* * *

Tara felt the rumble of the bikes long before she saw the first flicker of a headlight. Opie's head came up, much like hers, his eyes were riveted to the road ahead of them. She had the fleeting thought that they both felt the rumble in their bones. If she said it to Opie he wouldn't laugh, wouldn't think she were being silly. He'd simply tell her they had motor oil in their blood.

The story their father liked to tell was that his kids were both born on the back of his bike. Opie liked to believe it, Tara appreciated the story but knew her mother well enough to know she didn't climb on the back of their father's bike while she was in labor.

"I told you not to leave a note." Only Tara, Opie thought as he waited for headlights to appear, would leave a note. They were running away, leaving their mother to go back home to their father, and she leaves a fucking note telling there mother where they were going. He knew he should have stopped her but she was all "Mom's going to wake up and be worried and what if she calls the police" and she probably would have gone on if he didn't stop her by telling her to just write the damn note.

"I told you so? Really?" She knew he was going to say it, she was hoping to avoid it, but she knew he was going to say it. Just like he was going to point out how bad an idea it had been to take the car in three, two…

"Taking the car was a mistake too." Opie mumbled, heart racing as the first two headlights came into view. It was his old man and John Teller, he just knew it. His dad was going to shit over him dragging Tara out this time of night. Or…well…morning. "But oh no, Princess Tara refuses to walk anywhere."

"This isn't helping, Ope." She needed to think, needed a little time to come up with a way to get them out of this. "You know if Dad found out we were hitchhiking he'd kill you." Maybe that wasn't helpful either, but she had to point out how piss poor his idea had been.

The bikes came into view, it looked like the whole fucking club had come out. Opie sank down in the passenger seat, though he knew that wasn't going to protect him. All the bikes rode pass them but he didn't have to look to know they were only turning around. Didn't have to say anything to Tara to have her pulling the car over.

They knew their father's bike, even with the sidecar attached, and watched with a strange mixture of panic and longing as he pulled around to the front of the car along with his best friend John Teller. He'd yell at them, would not pull any punches in letting them know just how stupid their behavior was. And maybe he'd cuff Opie around the ears. But if they were lucky, if he was in the right mood, they'd be going back home with him. They'd wake up in Charming and their time in Oakland would be a three month side trip.

John Teller got to the car first, bracing an arm on the hood so he could lean down in the passenger side window. "You know what I know," He mumbled softly. "Green Eyes should work up the tears."

But Tara was already throwing open the car door, running the short distance to their father, and all but flinging herself at his chest. Opie thought he could see their father melt and once again cursed his sister for using the fact that she was born a girl to get out of trouble with the old man. That he hadn't seen her since Mary packed them up and moved to Oakland was really going to have Piney going soft on her.

Missing her father as much as she had, Tara was unable to stop herself from burrowing into his chest. He wouldn't say it, but she knew how much he missed her by the way he allowed it. She could smell weed, beer, and the overly cloying perfume of the croweater he likely spent the night with. Normally the perfume would have turned her stomach, would have had her pushing away from him. But it had been months since she'd seen him, so she lifted up onto her toes until she could bury her nose in his neck and inhale the scent of motor oil and Old Spice. Her father was there in those scents.

"You think you're too old to take over my knee little girl." Piney set her back by her shoulders. His eyes scanned her face and he could have sworn she looked more a woman than when she left him. And he hated it, hated every day that passed that had her getting a little bit older. Mary's call had scared him shitless, his mind filling with images of his kids mangled on the side of the road somewhere. Seeing them now, alive and safe had that fear turning into rage. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I wanted to come home." Tara followed JT's advice and allowed the first hints of moisture to come into her eyes. "Opie was allowed to come home and see everyone. I just wanted to see you before school started."

Piney very sincerely doubted that. Mary had raised Tara to adhere the rules, to behave well and always do as she was told. She did her best to keep Tara away from the club and the club mentality. But she hadn't been able to do anything with the protective streak that ran through Tara in regards to her brother. His kids would take a bullet for each other, it was second nature to them.

Opie had gotten out of the car, he'd grown some over the summer but he hadn't yet figured out how to carry the extra height and so his body was kind of turned in on itself. Piney knew this little caper was all him. Running away had been the boy's idea and he drafted the girl into it, he knew them too well to think it could have gone any other way.

"Get over here," His voice was clear as he called his son over. "Wanna tell me what the hell you were thinking bringing your sister out this time of night?"

"Dad I told you-" But Tara's argument was cut off with one sharp look from their father.

"We wanted to come home." Opie kept his head up, looking his father straight in the eye in the hazy light provided by the moon finally giving way to the sun. "Tara was going to stay, but I made her come with me."

"Did you want to get yourselves killed while you were at it?"

"It was my idea to take the car." Tara spoke up, not at all having heeded the silent warning her father sent her. "That wasn't Opie, that was me, I took the keys."

Piney sighed, because he could hear the truth of that in her voice. He'd been sleep barely an hour when he got Mary's frantic call. His head was heavy and fuzzy with booze and pot. His kids were too fucking smart to deal with at less than full capacity. "Give me the keys, you're not driving back."

"Then how-" Opie began before following his father's gaze to the side car he had attached to his bike. His face paled, he knew that was for him. If Jax heard about this he'd never live it down. "Fuck."

Piney reached out to slap Opie over the back of the head. "Watch your damn mouth boy." The rest of the club brought their bikes around, preparing to ride back to Charming. "Tara you ride with Clay."

"Can I ride with Tig?" Tara asked even as she was already throwing her leg over the back of Tig's bike.

The girl, Piney thought with a heavy sigh, was going to be the death of him. He gave Tig a nod that had him removing his helmet and handing it back to Tara. Handing his own helmet to Opie, who was sulking in the sidecar, he started his bike. He'd leave Mary's car where it was for a few hours before getting someone from the garage to pick it up and tow it back to her. That way he could get a few hours sleep before dealing with the shit storm he knew she'd blow into town with.

* * *

Mary Winston started yelling the second the car door slammed at her back. Her children were willing to bet money that she started yelling the second she got in the car back in Oakland. Currently they were sitting side by side on the couch looking extremely contrite and hoping that just this once their mother would accept their apology and move on. The odds were slim, actually closer to none, but they had hope all the same. Piney had been up for only the last half-hour. They were already on the couch when he came out of his bedroom, but he didn't say one word to them as he went straight to the kitchen to prepare for his day with a shot of Tequila. Belatedly Opie and Tara wondered why they hadn't thought of that themselves.

Now at the sound of Mary's ranting, Piney pushed himself out of the recliner, shot his children a look to let them know he'd pay them back for this, and made his way to the door. Opening it just in time for Mary to march through without having to pause her diatribe to knock.

"…And I should drag both your asses back to Oakland by your hair. Neither of you have permit or license the first, haven't so much as plopped your asses down in a Driver's Ed course, yet you thought it was a good idea to drive from Oakland to Charming. You could have been killed! You could have killed someone else. The two of you pull something like this again so help me God…" The threat was left hanging, but Opie and Tara knew she'd make good on it. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"We wanted to come home." Tara began. "We tried telling you that but you wouldn't listen. You never listen."

"I don't listen." Mary balked, unable to believe that after the stunt they pulled they'd try to turn this around on her. "Well if you thought it was bad before, that I didn't listen, that I was up your ass about school and everything else, you're in for it now. After this little caper, you won't be able to take a piss without my permission."

Tara opened her mouth to argue, to justify their behavior, to fight their mother on her ridiculous stance. There was a chance their mother would listen. There was also a chance Tara would have made things worse. This time they wouldn't know because Opie spoke before Tara could get a word out.

"We're not going back to Oakland." The words broke no argument. Opie didn't argue. When pushed Tara could and would argue, she'd get so worked up she could argue enough for both of them. But Opie didn't. He rarely had to.

Now it was Mary's turn to open her mouth only to be cut off by Piney before she could make a sound. Taking his estranged wife by the arm he lead her to the kitchen, leaving his children sitting together on the couch. As he walked away he notice the look they shared. He didn't try to interpret it, knew they could communicate a thousand things in just a look.

Tara wanted to walk off the energy their mother brought into the house. Wanted to bolt from the couch, run away until the threat of being moved away was over. Opie sat still and quiet next to her. Scooting closer to him she lay her head on his shoulder. It wasn't instantaneous, but she began to feel the restless energy ebb.

"Goddamn it woman you know them as well as I do…" Piney's voice was harsh, it was clear his patience had snapped. "…it won't work. You'll just make it worse….Fine. Fine you tell them and deal with the shit that's going to cause."

No sooner did Piney stop speaking did Mary march back into the room. Piney hung back in the kitchen entryway, a bottle of tequila hanging between his fingers.

"You're coming with me." Mary gave her children a hard look.

"I told you-"  
"Not you." Mary cut her son off, something like hurt flashing in her eyes before she turned steely eyes onto her daughter. "You. You're coming back to Oakland, you're going to school there. You'll see your father and brother on weekends."

"What?"

"No."

Opie and Tara jumped to their feet, their objections blending together. The weekends Opie came back to Charming were the longest they'd ever been apart. It hadn't been ideal then but they dealt with it. This was worse and unacceptable.

"I'm not going back without Ope." Which as far as Tara was concerned meant she wasn't going back. "We didn't do anything wrong." Tears came to her eyes now, the hurt of her family splitting up seizing her. "Why are you doing this to us?"

"I'm trying to give you something better." Mary argued. Despite what her children might think she was not immune to their pain. "This isn't a punishment."

"It feels like one." Opie muttered. If Tara went back to Oakland who'd look out for her there? Who'd take care of her? He knew what his mother was trying to do. She was trying to make him choose between the club and his sister. If he chose Tara his father would think he was weak and not cut out to be SAMCRO. If he chose the club Tara would think he didn't love her.

"You take me back and I'll run again." Tara threatened. "I won't leave a note." Her eyes, accusing and hurt as they looked at their father, were filled with tears. "And I won't come back here. I'll just go, like Gemma did."

And it was exactly that thought that gripped Mary with fear. She did not want her daughter to have the life she and Gemma did. She didn't want her to get tangled up that way. JT had saved Gemma and Piney have save her, now look where it got them. Her girl deserved different. Both her children did. They were smart kids, too smart to be mixed up in SAMCRO, to allow themselves to be dragged down that way. She tried with Opie, tried to pull him away, but the club had a hook in him that went deep. She thought there was still a chance for Tara.

"Make another threat like that young lady and I'll lock you in that room until you're thirty-five. You're not running away. You're not Gemma." Piney bit the name off. The anger that flashed in his eyes told everyone he was very much capable of keeping his daughter locked up if it came to that.

Mary wasn't sure what had Gemma fleeing home, but the words Piney spoke sounded very much like the ones that had her climbing out of her bedroom window never to return. "We'll stay." She spoke the words quickly, cutting off the argument that was just gearing up between her children and their father.  
The club had it's hooks in Opie, but he and Tara were a unit. Maybe, Mary thought, just maybe all was not lost. It was possible his sister held enough sway over him to keep him from sinking into the club. As she knew Opie was so protective of his sister he'd never let her get involved with something that could hurt her. With any luck keeping her children together, even if it was in Charming, would save them both.

* * *

"You're back early." Gazing at her husband through the haze of smoke, Mary flicked away the cigarette she lead everyone to believe she no longer smoked. "Forget something?" It was the only reason she could think for him to be back before dawn. Truth was she hadn't expected him back for several days. That's how it worked with them before she took the kids and left for Oakland. Mary didn't see why it would be any different now.

Stopping half-way between his bike and the front door, Piney very much considered turning to go. Wondering why he even chose to come back and put up with this shit, he did his best to appear casual as he pulled out his cigarettes and lighter. The front door was open at Mary's back so that the light from inside the house filtered out to be caught in the reflection of his lighter.

After bringing the flame to the end of his cigarette, he flicked the Zippo closed but instead of putting it away found himself flipping it over to read the simple engraving on the bottom: Pop. The Lighter had been a birthday gift from Opie and Tara. He wasn't an overly sentimental man, but he carried it with him everyday. And it was only now, in the wake of them stealing their mother's car and driving without a license that he wondered just how they paid for a solid gold lighter. "Last I checked it was still my house."

Mary nodded, choosing to look down at her hands instead of into the face so much like her son's. When Opie was born, it made her smile, that resemblance. Now, when the similarities between father and son ran bone deep, it scared her. Opie idolized his father. And because of that, he wanted to be a part of SAMCRO.

Everyday she wondered-regretted-not taking her kids away sooner. If she packed up the kids and left when they were small, before the club got into her boy's system, she wouldn't know the gnawing fear in her gut. "Still your house." She agreed after awhile. "And don't worry, we'll be out of it soon enough."

Piney's eyes narrowed. "What the hell are you talking about? The kids told you they aren't leaving." The dread he felt surprised him. When Mary took the kids and left, he didn't fight her. She was their mother and he thought she knew what was best. It wasn't until they were gone, until the first morning he woke without the sounds of his kids shouting at one another, that he realized he hadn't wanted them to go. He missed them, actively missed them, and he hadn't been prepared for that. And now that they were back, he knew he couldn't let Mary take them again.

"Not Charming." The named dripped like poison from her lips. "But we need a place. I talked to Catherine Hale about finding something for me to rent. She had a couple listings I can take a look at tomorrow."

Something like relief rushed through him, even as he decided he wouldn't let her take the kids even a few blocks away from him. "You already uprooted them once. You gotta pack up that place in Oakland. No point carting it back here just to cart it someplace else. This is there home, what they want, just stay."

"No. Tara's already torn up about the split. Me moving back in here may give her the wrong idea. Break her heart all over again when she realizes we're not getting back together."

"That's your problem, Mary, you treat them like their idiots. They're smart. Smarter than any two kids of ours have the right to be." It had surprised him. He'd never set foot in a high school and Mary dropped out halfway through. He wasn't a stupid man, but the smarts he had didn't come from a book. And when he met Mary he found a kindred spirit there. But Tara and Opie, they were smart. Fucking scary smart. He was proud of them, even if he couldn't explain where they got it from. "We explain to her what's going on, she'll get it. She'll understand."

"They can't have her, Piney."

It was her tone, just as much as what she said that caught him off guard. He knew what she was talking about. But he couldn't say he knew where it came from. "What?"

"They got our boy. I don't think there's anything I can do to keep Ope out of the club, out of that life. But I'm trusting you to take care of him, to keep him safe. Alive." Mary's head came up with that. The look in her eye letting Piney know if he didn't protect Opie, club or no, he wouldn't live to regret it. "They got our boy. They can't have our girl. Promise you won't let them have her."

This moment…there was a significance to this moment that he wouldn't be aware of for years to come. He felt the weight of Mary's words even as he brushed them off. The girl was safe. "She's a girl. Club has no use for her."

Mary gave a bitter laugh at that. "She's a pretty girl, Piney. One day soon she's going to be a beautiful woman. Telling me the club has no use for one of those?"

Something tightened in his stomach. He always did his best to see his kids as what they were, didn't like looking too far ahead. But Mary's words had him seeing them as they would be: his big, quiet burly son and his slight, whip-smart daughter. He could see the way the club had swallowed up his best friend, felt him slipping away each day. He'd seen what the life had done to Mary and Gemma. He didn't want to see what happened to his best friend, to his wife, happen to his kids. So when he looked at Mary, the promise he was making to her he was making to himself as well. "I'll keep them safe."


	2. Chapter 2

**I disclaim. I own nothing.**

**Super long chapter.**

**Chapter 2**

"What are you doing in here?"

Lowell hopped to his feet, face flushed red as he looked anywhere but at the girl standing between him and escape. "I…I'm sorry. I always…if you don't want-"

"Lowell," The smile Tara wore was clear in her tone, not that it did any good as Lowell seemed hell bent on not looking in her direction. "It's okay. I was just wondering what you were doing in here when the party's out there."

It was a valid question, one he could direct back at her, but he didn't dare. If she was only just the daughter of a Son it would be bad enough. That Lowell thought she was one of the prettiest girls he'd ever seen made it worse. Maybe if she ignored him like everyone else. Or rolled her eyes whenever he stumbled over his words. But Tara never did any of that. She had more patience for his awkwardness than anybody. And she never seemed to mind when he had trouble saying things the way he intended. "It's crowded. I found that, you know, during parties the guys don't really come back here."

Tara nodded as she walked over to sit on the weight bench he'd been laying on when she walked in. And if she didn't know Lowell, she'd have been offended by the way he moved to stand across the room. "Yeah, I realized that, too. I probably should have stayed home."

The party had been Gemma's idea, to welcome them home she said. But as much as Tara loved Gemma she could admit it was just a little bitchy not just throwing a party welcoming Mary back to a place she'd been trying to get far away from but holding it in a place that was the symbol of everything she hated about Charming. It was the nature of their relationship, though. Gemma and Mary never let their friendship stop them from being assholes to one another.

"Why…why didn't you?"

"I don't know." She tossed the lie off as easily as the lazy shrug she gave. She came tonight to piss off her mother. A sort of ridiculous petty gesture to show how unhappy she still was at moving in the first place. Maybe coming wouldn't have been so bad, but her best friend had yet to arrive while Jax and Opie were busy showing off at the pool table. Though she hadn't been sure if they were showing off for club members or the scantily dressed women running around. "Why'd you come if you were just going to hide in here all night?"

To see you, Lowell thought. The words had been on the very tip of his tongue, but fear of her rejection, of them not coming out right, had him biting them back. "Parties here…there the only ones I get invited to." He kept his eyes trained on his feet, hoping she didn't see the lie in his eyes.

Tara wasn't entirely sure what to say to that and found herself quick to change the subject. "So what did you do this summer?"

The question struck him momentarily stupid as the answer-missed you, thought about you, wondered if I'd ever see you again-was the last thing he ever wanted to admit to her. His old man told him he'd never have a shot with Tara, he said Piney would never allow it. Lowell was almost sure Opie would never allow it. Still, even knowing that didn't stop his mind from wandering towards her every thirty seconds.

When he remained quiet, Tara continued to press. "Did you work at the garage?"

Lowell nodded. "Yeah. I helped my old man restore a Knucklehead."

He smiled as he said it. And it wasn't a large carefree grin. Just this slow, shy tug at the corners of his mouth. Seeing it caused something in Tara's stomach to flutter. She didn't understand it, but at the moment she wanted more than anything to make him smile that way again. "Are you planning on restoring a bike for yourself?"

"Naw. I'm not really into bikes. Actually…"

"What?" She pressed when he trailed off.

"Well, when me and my old man went to the junkyard to look for parts for the Knuckle I saw a 1950 Ford F1. It was in rough shape, like really rough shape, but…"

"You still want to buy it." Tara smiled. Opie and Jax had been talking about getting bikes of their own since they were five years old. Because the club practically saturated every corner of the town most of the guys at school were always going on about getting bikes. Especially when Jax or Opie were within earshot.

"Actually," For reasons even he didn't fully understand, Lowell dropped his voice as if he were letting her in on a secret. "I talked to Ralph, you know the guy who runs the junkyard. He's going to hold it for me. I gave him some cash and he promised to hold it."

Tara didn't know Ralph as she never had any desire to go to the junkyard on the many occasions her dad went. But something told her that Lowell made this deal with Ralph without his dad knowing, which meant it would be easy for the guy to take Lowell's money and sell the truck to someone else. Maybe because he was smiling again, the same shy timid smile that was still causing her stomach to flutter, but she wanted to make sure Lowell didn't get screwed out of that truck. So she made a mental note to talk to her dad. If anyone could make sure Lowell got his truck, it was her dad. "How long do you think it'll take for you to have all the money?"

"I don't know. But it doesn't matter, I'll work for as long as it takes. It's…you don't want to hear about this."

"I do."

"Oh…" He wasn't expecting that. "Well, I was going to say how this truck is going to be the best thing on the road by the time I get finished. I'm going to use all original parts, I don't care how much it costs. Cherry Red finish, white wall tires. It's going to be amazing."

She couldn't see it, mainly because she wasn't sure what a 1950 Ford F1 looked like. But something about the way Lowell talked about it made her want to. "Sounds awesome."

"I thought I'd find you in here."

Tara glanced up at the door to see her friend Wendy Case standing there. It was silly, Wendy was her best friend and Tara had been waiting for her all night. Yet for some reason seeing the other girl in the doorway left her feeling disappointed. "Hey,"

"I…I should go." Lowell was already heading for the door, head down as if that would keep the other girl from seeing him. He was use to people making fun of him, though Wendy was one of the girls who spent more time ignoring him. Still he didn't want to press his luck and figured it was best to get out before he was embarrassed in front of Tara. "Talk to you later, Tara."

"Yeah," Seeing him rush out, Tara understood the disappointment. "Later."

Remaining in the doorway, Wendy's eyes narrowed on her friend. It was hard to miss the large stupid grin on Tara's face when she walked into the room. Just as it was hard to miss the way her shoulders were slumping now. "No."

Tara's brow creased in confusion. "What?"

"Lowell Harland Jr?" Wendy spoke the boy's name in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Please, Tara. I saw the stupid smile on your face. And I'm telling you right now to stop it." Rushing into the room, Wendy dropped down onto the bench besides her friend. "In a couple of weeks we'll be starting high school. With high school boys."

"_Lowell_ will be one of those high school boys in a couple of weeks."

Wendy rolled her eyes. "I can't believe this. Of all the boys, Lowell Harland Jr is the one you decide to crush on."

"I'm not crushing on Lowell." But she could feel the way her face heated and knew that Wendy saw it as well. "We were just talking." Wendy gave her a bland look. "What? We were. He's really sweet."

Again, Wendy rolled her eyes. "Of all the boys." She repeated with a disgusted sigh as she grabbed Tara's hand and pulled her out of the weight room.

* * *

"Is it okay if I sit here?"

Lifting her head from where it rested on her folded arms, Tara shifted her gaze to the short brunette standing over the desk next to hers. "Sure."

"Really?" As usual Wendy entered the room loudly and completely unapologetic about it. "Typing is the only class we share together. I can't copy off you in Typing."

Tara rolled her eyes. It wasn't that Wendy needed to copy off her, she wasn't stupid. What Wendy was, was lazy. And if there was a shortcut, she'd take it all the while trying to find an even shorter route. "I missed you, too, Case."

Because it went without saying who would be sitting at the pair of typewriters opposite Tara, Wendy chose to sit in front of her friend. "Of course I missed you, Winston." Turning in her seat, she jerked her head towards the other girl. "Who is she?"

"I'm Donna." And there seemed to be just a bit of heat in the other girl's voice. "Donna Taylor. My family moved here a few weeks ago."

"That sucks. I thought the only people eager to live here were the Winstons."

"You'll have to excuse Wendy." Tara began politely. "She's just bitter that she's no longer the new girl." Wendy's family had moved to Charming nearly three years before but Charming didn't get a lot of new residents, which meant Wendy had been the new girl for the last three years. "I'm Tara by the way."

"Yeah I know, we have English together."

"That's such bullshit." Wendy decided. "I have English with Hale and Lowell. Opie and Jax are in English with you aren't they?"

"Opie is." Tara confirmed. With the exception of lunch, she and Opie were in all the same classes. Still she didn't understand what Wendy was bitching about as Tara wouldn't have minded having English with Lowell at all. "Jax isn't though. Knowing him he's suppose to be in English with you but bailed."

"On the first day?"

The question came from the newcomer and had Tara and Wendy turning to her.

"I'm sorry."

Surprisingly it was Wendy to waved off the apology. "It's okay. If you ever get to know Jax, you'll realize bailing on the first day of class is one of his minor offenses."

"Speak of the devil." Tara muttered as her brother and his best friend strolled into the room. Both boys made a beeline for the two typewriters opposite her. Opie sat closest to her, she was relieved as she knew that if Jax took the seat next to her he would have spent the entire semester going out of his way to pick at her.

Opie was the person she was closest to in the entire world, but Jax ran a very close second. Still she wasn't as close to him as Opie was. The club and their legacy in it bonded Opie and Jax in a way Tara couldn't understand, a way her mother made sure she'd never understand. But they were boys, Sons, the club would be theirs one day. Tara learned early on that she had no place in the club, despite the fact that her father helped build it.

"Jax and I were heading to the clubhouse after school." Opie leaned over. "Wanna come?"

"That's probably not a good idea." Until their mother settled down and Tara could prove that she could exist just as well in Charming as she could in Oakland, she'd have to steer clear of the clubhouse.

"Ah, come on, Knowles."

"Don't call me that." Tara practically hissed the words at Jax. And almost instantly regretted it. He was the only person who called her that, because he knew just how much she hated it. Reacting to it, only ensured he'd continue to do it.

"Chill." Opie told Jax, knowing that his friend would spend the next twenty minutes driving his sister crazy if he didn't step in. Opie could understand why it bothered her. Other than their parents-and probably JT and Gemma-Jax was the only person who knew that Tara's birth certificate had her first name listed as Knowles and her middle name as Tara. It was a mistake made by the attendant who mixed up the name in the confusion of Mary and Piney's fighting. Piney hadn't wanted Tara to have a middle name, as he didn't have one, while Mary wanted her to have her maiden name. Opie was just glad Piney took care of his birth certificate while Mary was still out of it.

Jax had been having a field day with Tara's name ever since he found out. Opie knew his sister well enough to know that eventually, she was going to knock the shit out of Jax. But part of him couldn't help but to wonder if that's what Jax was going for, as he knew Tara just as well. Though for the life of him Opie didn't understand just what it was Jax got out of antagonizing Tara, just hoped it was worth the black-eye he'd be sporting soon.

* * *

The urge to go in and give her shit was strong, really strong. His father told him he was going to be sorry when she knocked the shit out of him one day. His mother would just smirk but said nothing. Jax thought he knew what she was thinking, but he could have told her she was wrong. He didn't pick with Tara cause he liked her, he picked with her because she made it so easy. She had such a short fuse, the tiniest spark could set her right off. And there was little he enjoyed more than setting that spark.

It was a bit uncomfortable for him to realized he liked watching her more than he liked picking at her. He was standing in the office at TM, she was in the garage. She'd been working there a few weeks now. Opie said she talked her mother into letting her get a job, had locked Mary into agreeing to allow her to work before dropping the bombshell of just where she'd be working. Anyone could see she did it to be closer to her old man.

The thing was she went over Piney to get the job, bypassing Clay and even Gemma, Tara had gone straight to JT. It made Jax smile to think about all the times he heard his old man give Piney shit for being a sucker his little girl's green eyes. But Jax had seen the way his old man cracked under those green eyes as well.

Normally when she worked, it was under the tutelage of one of the guys. He knew she was alone by the music. When one of the guys were there, it was always some type of hard rock pouring from the radio. Patti Smith was playing now, that was all Tara.

He didn't know what had her coming in to work alone, but he could appreciate the way she moved. It became obvious to him she thought she was alone, the way she was shaking her ass and hips. And he could hear her singing along with the song, Tara never sang when she thought someone would hear her. He was going to let her know he was watching…eventually.

* * *

"_With love we sleep, With doubt the vicious circle, Turns and Burns, Without you, oh, I cannot live_…" It was because she thought she was alone that she was practically singing at the top of her lungs. And between the music and her own singing she wasn't aware of someone else stepping into the garage until she turned and collided with them. "Oh, holy fuck!"

"Shit, sorry. Sorry, I'm sorry, Tara. Really, I'm sorry."

Initially her racing heart was due entirely to the scare he'd given her, and would have gone away eventually. But at the sight of him, her heart continued to race.

"Lowell, it's okay."

"No, it's not. I scared you. I shouldn't have-"

"Really, it's okay." And he was just so cute. His hands were buried in the pockets of his jeans, head down so that his eyes were trained on his shuffling feet. Tara thought Lowell Harland Jr. was just about the sweetest boy she ever met. "Lowell, look at me." He was blushing when he did, taking him from cute to adorable in her book. "It's okay. I promise."

"I just…I saw you in here." One of his hands left his pocket to rub over the back of his head. "And I thought…it's just…I was wondering what you were doing. Or if maybe you needed any help?"

"Oh…well…my dad refuses to let me work on anything by myself. Tig told me if I could fix this carburetor it would go along way to convincing him."

"I'm really good with carburetors. I can help if you want?"

"It's really sweet of you to offer but, if I let you help me it won't exactly be proving to my dad I can do it myself. But," The word was rushed and she nearly reached out to grab his arm to keep him from leaving. "If you want to stay and keep me company…"

Lowell smiled wide. When he looked up to see Tara smiling back at him, he flushed and dropped his eyes back to his feet. "Yeah, I can do that."

* * *

"Where the hell are those boys with that ice?"

Standing over the grill in his backyard, beer in one hand a set of tongs in the other, JT glanced over his shoulder at his wife. As always Gemma was running this bar-b-que like a four star event. And driving everyone around her crazy in the process. "You gave two unlicensed teenage boys a set of keys and money, you'll be lucky if you see them back before dawn." It was meant as a joke, and there was a time Gemma would have given him a smile or some smartass comment in reply. Now she glared at him as if Jax and Opie being gone too long was all his fault. With a sigh he turned his attention back to the meat on the grill.

"She'll be lucky if those two idiots bring her car back in one piece." Piney began as a way to break the tension that settled over his best friend.

"You try telling her that." JT muttered as he looked over his yard, a smile wanting to tug at the corners of his lips at the sight of his brothers milling around. It wasn't something he felt very much lately, the brotherhood. He found the clubhouse stifling, the patch heavy. But things felt different here in his own yard without the blaring rock, the scantily clad croweaters, or the sounds of fist on flesh coming out of the ring. For the first time in a long time, he felt that what he built resembled what he intended. "I'm gonna knock Jax upside his head when he gets in here."

"Take a swipe at my boy while your at it."

"With pleasure." JT shot a grin over at his best friend. "Where's Green Eyes?"

Whatever good mood Piney had been feeling dropped away instantly. Draining his beer bottle, he bent to retrieve another out of the cooler at his feet. "With that damn Harland kid."

There was a part of JT that wanted to laugh at the predicament his best friend suddenly found himself in. Piney made no secret of the fact that he was very much against Tara going out on dates. JT would go so far as to say Piney was against Tara growing up. And it _was_ funny, seeing a guy like Piney fretting over his little girl. On the other hand JT felt very much the same way. He wasn't sure when the kids started growing up. Just knew that every time he came back from Ireland they were just a little bigger. When he looked at Jax and Opie it made him proud. He thought he could see the reflection of himself and his best friend in their boys and it made him proud to see the men they were becoming. With Tara he just wanted her to remain that little girl who'd tug at his kutte until he picked her up and swung her around. When he looked at her he thought of his own daughter and the things he was missing with her.

"I can't believe you're letting her date."

"That's on Mary." Piney was perfectly content with Tara not dating until he was dead.

"How are they doing with that?" JT began. "You and Mary living together but not…back together. It's not confusing them or anything?"

Where any other man would have shrugged, Piney sipped his beer. "They know I'm sleeping in the loft upstairs and Mary's not. Tara might have wanted us to make up, maybe Ope did too, but they both know it's not going to happen."

"But how does it work? Do you sneak women past their room and up to the loft?"

Piney heard something in his best friend's tone, thought it was judgment, and didn't appreciate it in the slightest. "Got something to say JT, say it."

"Just that I don't know how long you can keep this arrangement up. It's not fair to you, your kids, or even Mary. It's-" JT broke off at his friends harsh laugh. "What?"

"It's funny. You of all people, telling me what's fair to my wife and kids." Piney kept his voice level despite the anger pounding in his chest. "You got balls, JT, always have. But there's not a damn thing you can tell me about taking care of my wife or my kids."

"Oh," JT recognized his best friend's anger but didn't back down from it. They'd been friends long enough that they could face each other's rage head on. "So she's still your wife?"

"Gemma still yours?" Piney tossed back.

The tension that settled over them was broken by the harshness of Gemma's voice shouting at the two boys currently making their way up the drive. "Where the hell did you go and get that ice, Alaska?"

"How'd you guess?" Jax shot his mother a charming grin even as he danced away from the arm she swung out at him.

"She goes for your throat boy," JT began as Jax and Opie began to dump ice in the coolers lined up against the house. "You're on your own."

"What the hell took you so long?" Piney demanded of his son.

"We saw Tara and Lowell. Had to make sure the kid knew not to try anything."

Instantly modified, Piney gave his son a nod. "And does he?"

"He does now." Jax confirmed.

JT shook his head at his son. Jax might have been the only person more upset than Piney at the idea of Tara on a date with Lowell. "What's it matter to you?"

Caught, and feeling as though his father could see right through him, Jax jerked his shoulders. "You guys always say Ope and I have to take care of her, look out for her. So…"

"He's a good boy." Piney gestured towards Jax with his beer.

It was all JT could do not to roll his eyes. He knew his son, knew the idea of Tara being out with someone else was eating him up. Jax wasn't looking out for Tara by threatening Lowell, he was looking out for his own interests.

"Why didn't you give her a ride back here?" JT asked and thought he should be concerned with the wide giddy grins on both boys faces. And as if to answer his question, he could hear the loud engine of a bike pulling up in front of the house. A quick scan of who was already in the backyard let him know the person out front could only be Tig.

Alexander 'Tig' Trager was not like most men. Actually he wasn't like any man JT had ever met. Which was why he shouldn't have been at all shocked to see the younger man marching up the drive dragging an extremely embarrassed Tara by the arm. "Hey," Tig's voice was loud and indignant. "Do you know where I found her? Just outside of Hannah's with that Harland kid." He finished before anyone could respond.

And no one was sure what to do with the fact that he made it sound like he caught her on the stroll.

"I was on a date, Tig." From the exasperation in Tara's voice it was clear this wasn't the first time she'd told him. "My dad knew about it." She turned to her father for help. "Tell him."

Tig shot Piney a look of complete and total betrayal.

"The boy asked her," Piney began. "Her mother said it was fine."

"No," Tig shook his head. "A date? She can't date, she's only…" He turned to look down at Tara in such concentration that it was clear whatever age he spoke was how old he truly believed she was. "Twelve."

Jax and Opie laughed, earning a withering glare from Tara before she turned her attention back to Tig. "I'm fourteen now, Tig." And she tried to keep from sounding like she was moments away from stomping her foot. Tried being the operative word.

"Fourteen? When the hell did that happen?"

If JT didn't know any better he'd swear the information actually hurt Tig. "If I remember correctly she'll be fifteen soon."

"Naw. No, no. We gotta do something about this."

JT wasn't sure what Tig thought could be done to stop Tara from getting older but found himself oddly curious to find out. Unfortunately Gemma came up before anything more could be said.

"What the hell is going on?"

"He dragged me away from my date, Gemma." Tara began before anyone could say anything. Despite her best effort, tears began to pool in her eyes. "Just road up on me and Lowell, dragged me away, and wouldn't take me back even after I told him my dad knew. Lowell was just about to hold my hand, I know it. But now he's never going to ask me out again after this."

"Well, that's too bad." Jax spoke without an ounce of sympathy in his voice.

It took Gemma a moment, as she had to tug on Tara's arm a few times before Tig released her, but she managed to pull the girl into her arms and brush a hand over her hair. "Of course he'll ask you out again, baby." And she continued to murmur soothing words as she lead Tara into the house.

Mary, who had been standing with Gemma gave a sigh to draw the attention of all the men to her. She'd go after her daughter, comfort and take care of her as she always did. But she needed to make something clear. "The Harland boy is harmless, it's why I let her go out with him. He's piss himself scared of everyone out here, which means he wouldn't try anything with her. And I figured that as long as she was with the harmless boy, that's time she wouldn't spend with some grabby handed little bastard. It was just a plus that she's kinda stupid over him." Giving each man-including her son and his best friend-one last pointed look she turned to go into the house.

Tig waited until the door closed at Mary's back. "So we all agree that my Bear doesn't need to be with any boy ever, though, right?"

For the first time in a long time, JT raised his beer in complete agreement with his brothers.

* * *

"I kind of feel like an asshole right now." Opie was standing under the basketball rim posted above the garage. When Jax's shot bounced off the rim, he caught the ball and tossed it back.

Jax glanced over to where Tara was sitting on the porch with Tig. The older man had his arm wrapped around her shoulder as he idly sipped from a bottle of beer. He didn't understand how she forgave Tig so easily but was still glaring daggers at him and Opie. "Your old man has been telling us since we could walk to look out for her and that's what we were doing."

"But my mom's right, Lowell's fucking harmless. And she likes him. I didn't know she liked him so much."

Jax did and tried not to wince at hearing Opie speak it so plainly. But he'd seen the way Tara would grin and blush whenever Lowell was around. It actually made him fucking sick to see Tara act like all the other empty headed girls at school. And as far as he was concerned he was doing her a favor by getting her away from Lowell now. "Don't worry about it. If she's forgiven Tig no way she's going to be mad at her baby brother for long."

"Or she's going to be mad longer because he's her baby brother." JT tossed out.

Not sure when his father walked up, Jax held the ball in one hand as he turned to him. "How do you figure?"

"He's her brother," JT gestured to Opie, who looked utterly dejected by his earlier comment. "She expects more from him than she does anyone else. Don't wait her out, just apologize. Bit of advice boys," He was speaking to both of them but his words were directed to his son. "Women get tired of games a lot faster than men. You figure out what you want from them just say it, because while you're still playing she's moving on."

Whatever dejection Opie had been feeling at JT's earlier words had given way to confusion. "What the fuck was that?" He asked after the older man walked away.

Jax jerked his shoulders, felt as if he was shrugging off the weight of his father's words. "Fuck if I know."

* * *

The yard had become stifling. As much as he was enjoying being around his brothers in an atmosphere that wasn't as tense as the clubhouse, JT still found he couldn't be around them for long. Which was why he found himself around the front of the house. He watched Opie and Jax play ball. Or watched Opie sulk because his sister was angry with him and watched Jax watch Tara while trying to appear as if he wasn't.

JT wasn't sure how that would turn out, but seeing something as innocent as a brother's love for his sister and the first inklings of a crush gave him a sense of peace. His world was no longer innocent; it was blood and violence and loss. But it hadn't touched the kids yet. And he hoped it could stay that way for a long time.

When he made his way to the porch, he thought it strange that someone as manic as Tig and restless as Tara could look so peaceful-that he could find peace with them. But as he sat in the rocker behind them, he was relaxed. And thought maybe the problem in the backyard wasn't all the brothers, just the one in particular.

"How much you bribe the girl to get her to forgive you, Tiggy?"

Tig took a lazy pull from his beer. "Not bribe, my Tare-Bear loves me. She couldn't be mad at me if she wanted to. Besides, I did her a favor."

"I don't think so." Tara tossed out without lifting her head from his shoulder.

"He's right, Green Eyes." JT allowed the chair to rock slowly back and forth. "The kid had a chance to fight for you. He didn't. Never settle for less than a guy willing to fight for you."

"He's fourteen." Tara stressed. "And you guys are the biggest badasses he knows."

"And for you he should have been willing to face all of us. Your old man would go to hell and back for you. So would Ope."

"So would I." Tig put in as he brushed a kiss over the top of her head.

JT nodded. "Don't settle for less than that."

* * *

"Any particular reason you're playing Obi-Wan to the kids?" Mary stepped out onto the porch. Tara had joined Opie and Jax on the drive, if the grin on her face was anything to go by she'd forgiven them as well. "You dying or something?"

JT would have smiled, but Mary's words lodged somewhere in his chest. "Obi-Wan, huh? I guess they do have a Luke, Leia, and Han thing going on don't they?" He tried to shoot a charming grin towards Mary, but he didn't have it in him. Not that it would have mattered, charm rarely worked on Mary Winston. "I know why you took them away from here. And I'm sorry, Mary. Real fucking sorry. When Piney and I built this thing, I didn't see it being like this."

It wasn't what Mary was expecting. More, she didn't know what to do with it.

"So I know why you took them, understand why you wanted them away from here. I just wanted you to know how sorry I am." Because as much as he understood, he was glad they were back. It was selfish, he knew it was selfish. But Jax needed Opie. Needed the brother he found after the one he lost so young. He needed Tara, too. Even if he wasn't yet aware of just what he was feeling for her. The three of them were a unit and he was glad his son had the stability of the Winstons.

He was also glad they were back for Piney. His best friend may not have been aware of just how much he loved his kids before they left. But it was easy for JT to see that Piney loved his children more than anything in the world. He'd need them, just as Jax would.

"Sometimes, JT, I think you say shit like that to keep me from yelling at you."

Now the grin he gave her was real. Piney couldn't have picked a better woman for himself. "Did it work?"

"No," But the corners of her mouth twitched. "I'm too tired to yell." Her gaze went to the end of the drive where the Harland boy had wandered up looking forlornly at Tara.

"Didn't figure the kid had the balls to show up here." JT had liked Lowell before, had always pegged him for a good kid. Maybe it wasn't fair that his feelings regarding the kid changed after he asked Tara out. But JT couldn't help it; he didn't think he'd ever see Tara as anything other than Piney's little girl.

"Gotta give him credit for that if nothing else." Mary decided.


	3. Chapter 3

**I disclaim. I own nothing.**

**Chapter 3**

Tara and Lowell were together for a year. Piney had not been happy, always hovering around the two of them when they were together at the garage or Tara had the boy over to the house. He did not allow Tara to go over to the Harlans and only allowed her to go out with the boy in a group. Despite Mary seeing Lowell as harmless, she didn't step in to alleviate any of Piney's rules.

Really, Lowell caught the most hell from Opie. Not really hell. Only found himself pinned up against a wall one day and threatened. But that was more than enough. Tara always had to take _his_ hand. And the first time they kissed, it had been Tara who leaned in first.

The relationship went south when JT died. Like Opie, Tara made herself available to Jax for whatever he needed. So available, Lowell became a distant afterthought. And when they were together he was always so angry and despondent she didn't know what to do for or with him. Jax was easier. Jax seemed more than happy with just her company.

Jax did lose himself in a string of girls and Tara tired to ignore a sting she didn't fully understand whenever she saw him with someone else. But between girls he seemed to find peace hanging out with the Winstons. The three of them didn't really do much, were always either at the house or the park or wandering around town discussing what they would do as soon as one of them got a set of wheels. They shared joints and bottles of whiskey and tequila. Mostly they enjoyed each other's company.

By the time Tara and Lowell broke up, he hated her, and she wasn't sure if she'd have done anything differently.

* * *

_**1994**_

"Would you please just come with me?"

"No."

"Why not? It's not because of Lowell, is it? Please tell me you're not still mourning the loss of Lowell."

Laying as she was with her head near Donna's thigh and her feet thrown over the back of the couch, Tara had to angle her head awkwardly to frown over at Wendy. Lowell may have been her ex and things may have ended very badly between them, but she still found herself offended on his behalf. She knew everyone liked to make fun of Lowell, that the awkwardness she found adorable others found off putting. They just didn't know him like she did. And she felt sorry for any girl who didn't know what it was like to have a guy blush beet red whenever she smiled at him the way Lowell had down once upon a time. "I'm not mourning the loss of Lowell."

That much was true. The relationship ended and ended badly. More than anything Tara regretted hurting him. Regretted that she wasn't more careful with a guy like Lowell. But she wasn't sorry the relationship was over. Yes she missed having a boyfriend, missed having _Lowell_ for a boyfriend. More than anything she was sorry that her mishandling of their relationship cost her his friendship.

"Then why don't you want to come with me."

"Because I don't want to get dressed just so I can go hang out on the edge of town getting high with you and the cone heads." Tara turned her head back towards the TV. "Love you, hate them. Why don't you ask Donna?"

Wendy rolled her eyes but turned her attention to her other friend. "What about it, Donna? Wanna come?"

"Oh gee, Wendy, after an invite like that how could I refuse." Donna gave her friend a look that was as sarcastic as her tone. "Let me just place all my plans on hold to be your second choice tonight."

"Oh like you have plans."

Donna frowned. "I have plans." When Wendy grinned, clearly seeing through her, she couldn't help but to grin as well. "I could have plans."

"Of course you can." Clearly placating, Tara kept her eyes on the TV, so she didn't see the pillow coming for her face until it was too late. "Ow."

It had been her intention to be angry at them, at least for a little while, but as her two friends started to laugh, Donna couldn't help but to laugh along with them. Most of her time was spent with the two of them. She knew other kids, but Tara and Wendy were the only two she'd call friends. And really, she and Wendy only became friends because they both spent so much time with Tara. It was clear to both girls they likely wouldn't spend much time together if it weren't for her.

Still Donna had only gone out with a few guys, her social calendar no where near as full as Wendy's, and she didn't have an excuse of a steady boyfriend that Tara had. No her reason for not going out was much more basic, making her feel a little pathetic, and was currently walking in the front door with Jax and Kyle.

"Is there anything better than walking into a house and seeing a girl on her back with her legs in the air?"

Donna rolled her eyes. Kyle Hobart may have been cute, but the guy was a total asshole.

"Say it again." Opie began quietly. "And this time tilt your chin up so I can punch you right in your throat." When Kyle clamped his mouth shut, Opie turned and headed back towards his bedroom without a word to anyone.

Donna felt her stomach flutter. As far as she was concerned the only thing cuter than Opie Winston was Opie Winston being protective of his sister.

"What are you guys even doing here?" Tara demanded as she swung her legs around so that she was sitting up on the couch. "Isn't there a Herpes outbreak over at the clubhouse you two need to get in on?"

Jax grinned despite his annoyance. Tara was always taking shots at him, if he thought her shots were coming from jealousy he wouldn't have had a problem, but she just seemed more disgusted than anything else. And he hated that she treated him like shit all the while thinking Opie was above it all. Sometimes he wondered what she would do if he told her that her precious brother went a round or two with the croweaters she so clearly looked down her nose at. The croweaters, she treated him like shit for messing around with. "Never thought I'd miss Lowell, but you're nowhere near as pleasant now that he's taken his clumsy awkward loving away."

Tara made a face at him but said nothing as Opie walked back into the room holding a pair of large sweatpants and promptly tossed them at her. It was ridiculous, she was wearing shorts, but obviously her brother didn't find them to be adequate covering. So with a roll of her eyes Tara stood up to step into the sweats.

There was a moment, when she bent over to pull the sweats up, that Jax was afraid he'd swallow his own tongue. Didn't understand how that was sexier than the stupidly short shorts she was wearing. And questioned his sanity when he found himself turned on at the sight of a girl putting _on_ clothes.

"Hey, sis, can I talk to you?"

Even if she was aware of just how creepy her behavior might be, Donna couldn't keep her gaze from wandering to the kitchen doorway where the siblings stood. Opie wasn't the biggest boy in school, at least not yet, there were one or two seniors that were bigger. But having seen Piney, Donna could guess that Opie was going to be huge. She thought it was interesting that someone as big as him could be so sweet and soft spoken. There was more there, she knew the reputation of the club his father belonged to, not to mentioned witnessed the violent snap of Tara's temper, so she knew there was likely something violent simmering inside of Opie as well. And found herself intrigued by just how well he kept it buried.

"Don't tell me you know how to read lips now."

Caught, Donna couldn't keep from flinching when Jax dropped down on the couch next to her. From the wicked glint in his eyes, she knew he was aware of just which sibling had her full attention. "I just don't know how they can understand each other. Obviously they're whispering, but it doesn't even look like they're talking at all."

"As far as they're concerned, it's not whispering." Leaning back on the couch, Jax stretched his arms across the back. "If you want to know what that's about I can tell you." He jerked his head towards the kitchen. "Hale let slip to Opie that he saw Tara giving Miller and Chris money."

Wendy rolled her eyes. Chris and Miller were two local low rent dealers. She'd dealt with them once or twice and found them to be the least threatening guys she knew. But despite the deep association the Winstons had to an outlaw motorcycle club, they were the last guys Opie would want his sister dealing with. "I told her that would take all of a second to get back to Opie."

Jax turned furious eyes on the blond. "You knew?"

"It's not what you think." Donna interrupted reasonably, her eyes never once leaving Opie. "Chris and Miller were all over Lowell, said he owed them money, and was threatening to kick his ass. Lowell didn't know when he'd have it, so Tara paid them for him."

That, as far as Jax was concerned, was even worse. "Why the fuck would she get involved in that."

"For Lowell." Donna turned her attention from Opie and Tara to look at Jax. "She's still got one great big throbbing soft spot for the kid." Something on Jax's face flickered, but she didn't know him well enough to interpret what it meant.

"Well, Ope's going to kill the kid for letting her get involved with his shit."

* * *

"You can't kill him, Ope."

"I didn't say I'd kill him. I'm just going break something."

"No. It's no big deal. He's basically paying all the bills himself, so he was a little strapped. He'll pay me back."

"That's not the fucking point. I don't want you involved with guys like Miller and Chris. They're bad news." Opie could tell that didn't matter to Tara. He didn't know what it was about Lowell that had her thinking she needed to take care of him, but whatever it was she wasn't going to budge. Fortunately he knew her, knew just what to say to have her seeing things his way. "What would you do, if you found out I was giving guys like that money?"

If there was ever a downside to having someone know her so well, Tara figured this was it. "Damn it, Ope."

"Don't worry. I said I wasn't going to kill him. As long as you promise not to get involved with shit like that again."

"Alright." Tara rolled her eyes as she leaned back against the counter. "So what do you guys have up for tonight?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, Opie gave a jerk of his shoulders. "Just going to hang around here. Annoy the shit out of you."

"Already off to a good start. Mom left some money, I was going to order Chinese. Please tell me you've ate already." If he hadn't it meant her dinner plans would have to change. Opie hated Chinese and she wasn't so much of a bitch she'd order something her brother didn't eat.

"Nope." A grin spread across his face. "How about-"

"Pizza." Tara finished. "Of course. I don't understand how you're not sick of pizza."

"I don't understand how you are. Since we're all here, you wanna play cards."

Turning to the phone mounted to the wall, Tara nodded. "As long as we're playing for money. Hey, Taylor, you okay with pizza instead of Chinese."

"Oh, sure that's fine."

"Case, you staying?" Tara didn't know why she asked, Wendy was suppose to be meeting her date and his cousin an hour ago.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Hey, Tara," Kyle called. "I don't like onions on my pizza."

"Sounds like a very personal problem to me, Hobart." She couldn't be a bitch and order food her brother didn't eat. Kyle was a completely different story.

"Aw, come on, Green Eyes."

"Don't call her that." Jax snapped out before he could stop himself. It was a knee jerk reaction. His old man was the only one who'd ever called Tara 'Green Eyes'. Had called her that for as far back as he could remember. The reasons he had for not wanting anyone else to use the nickname was a jumbled mess in his head, only knew that if Kyle called her that again he'd take the kid's head off.

"The fuck, Jax?"

"He said don't call me that."

Opie was standing next to his sister in the kitchen entryway, his arms crossed over his chest making him seem all the more imposing. "That's what I heard. Now shut up and help me move the table so we can play cards."

As Kyle started towards the kitchen, Jax's gaze slid to Tara's. He felt stupid for being glad that she wasn't looking at him with disgust as was all too common lately. And when her lips curled in a grin, he couldn't help but to return it.

* * *

There was no way for Jax to prove it, but he was almost positive Tara and Opie were cheating. It wasn't how much money he lost or even how much they won. It was how much they _didn't_ lose, so that it seemed like what they did lose was just their way of keeping anyone from figuring out what they were doing. Which worked because for the life of him he couldn't figure it out. And it wasn't for lack of trying. He watched them, trying to pick up on a tell or something. But for all his watching he got nothing.

For Donna there was no 'almost', she _knew_ Tara and Opie were cheating. Unfortunately, much like Jax, she couldn't prove it. But she'd already lost more than half her money to them. Wasn't as bad as Kyle, who Tara cleaned out completely. Hell, he actually owed her money. And Donna had the distinct impression that her friend was going to collect. Wendy had been nearly cleaned out as well, if not for the fact that Tara basically made her get up from the table, Donna was sure Wendy would have lost her first born.

"I'm broke," Donna announced as she tossed her cards onto the table. "Let's play something else."

Jax gave a sigh of relief, another few hands and he'd have lost his bike. Looking back, staying in the game was not his best idea. But there had been something about the challenge in Tara's eyes that kept him planted in his seat. "What game did you have in mind?"

Donna shrugged as Tara pushed back from the table, no doubt going to stash the money she won up in her room. "I don't know. Something that doesn't involve money. And if it involves pairs, Tara and Opie can't be partners."

Opie had just started to shuffle the cards that had been pushed his way, when he gazed up at Donna with an incredulous smile. "Excuse me."

"You and your sister can't be partners" The words came out far more confidant than she felt. The truth was having Opie's attention focused completely on her had her heart racing. But she refused to back down.

Opie's gaze flickered briefly to Jax before going back to Donna. Despite the friendship she'd developed with his sister, he hadn't spent much time with Donna since she moved to Charming. He didn't know why, she, Wendy, and Tara had practically been attached at the hip since freshman year. Maybe it was the fact that when they usually hung out it was in a group setting. All he knew of her was that she didn't have as much patience for Wendy as Tara did. And that she was really good at wrangling his sister in when Tara's emotions started to get the best of her.

Which was probably why he shouldn't have been surprised at the way she challenged him now. "You do know this is my house, right?"

"I know." Donna crossed her arms over the table. "But what I said still stands, you and Tara can't be partners."

Opie started to override her, though he questioned if that was even really possible. More he found himself just completely charmed by her. And feeling like a complete pussy for even thinking that way. Still he backed off. "Alright, how about Dirty Hearts?"

"I've never played that before." Even though her stomach fluttered at the way his eyes lit up, Donna wasn't entirely sure she trusted it.

"We're playing Dirty Hearts, now, sister." Opie informed Tara as she walked back into the kitchen.

"Cool, I'll grab the whiskey."

"Whiskey?"

Now Opie laughed. "You're only stipulation was that Tara and I can't be partners. But don't worry, no way you're as bad at this game as Kyle."

At his name Kyle stepped back into the kitchen. When his eyes caught the bottle of whiskey Tara was pulling out of the cabinet he visibly deflated. "Aw, fuck. I'd honestly just rather give you guys money."

"That bad?"

Opie shook his head. "For him, yeah. For the rest of us it's just a good fucking time."

* * *

"We need to talk."

Piney heaved a tired, exasperated sigh. He'd just barely walked in the damn door. "Can it wait?"

"No."

Because he knew that was going to be her answer, Piney was already making his way towards the kitchen. A shot of tequila would make whatever the hell Mary was going to start bitching about go down a lot easier.

"We need to make a change to the sleeping arrangements."

"And why the hell can't that wait until after I've gotten some sleep my damn self."

As always, Mary's impatience fed off of Piney's. She'd planned to be calm about this whole thing. Had made a point to remind herself not to upset him and to talk about this like two adults. She could practically feel that plan slipping through her fingers like smoke. "Because it can't. Unless you think your sleep is more important than one of those walking erections knocking up our girl."

The tequila bottle Piney was holding crashed at his feet, not that he was aware of it. He didn't think it was possible for the brain to go numb, but in that moment he'd swear his did.

Sure she now had his attention, Mary resisted the urge to allow her lips to curl in a triumphant smirk. "They're teenagers now. Jax and that damn Hobart kid are always here, staying most weekends. And with Tara wandering around here practically naked all the damn time, I just think we should put a little bit more space between her room and Opie's."

Piney didn't know what Mary was suggesting exactly but talk of erections, Tara, and nakedness had him thinking convent. Maybe one located on some isolated mountain top.

"I'm thinking we should move your daughter, the vampire, up to the loft. Lack of natural light up there won't bother her. All we have to do is get the bathroom fixed." With the shell shocked look on Piney's face, Mary didn't think she should tell him about finding Tara, in nothing but a towel, standing in the hall talking to Jax. "Don't think it's just Tara I'm worried about. Those two girls are always here as well. And while Donna seems like a sweet girl, I don't trust that damn Wendy as far as I can throw her. I want distance between her and my boy."

To say Piney was overwhelmed would be a complete understatement. Not to mention the fact that he was becoming increasingly aware of the bottle of tequila wasted at his feet. Still more than he wanted that drink, he wanted his kids to get through high school without becoming parents. "We put Tara up in the loft where will I sleep."

Mary had thought about this. Having Piney sleep in Tara's old room would be ridiculous, she was very much aware of that. And she tried to convince herself that part of her wouldn't be pleased having Piney close again. They weren't getting along any better or worse than they were before, but their relationship had never been smooth. But he was doing better by the kids. He wasn't, nor would he ever be, Ward Cleaver but he was trying and that's what mattered most to her. "We don't keep the same schedule, nowhere close. Move your shit back in the bedroom. Won't be any different than before I moved out."

"I guess not." But Piney couldn't shake the feeling that it would be just a little different.


	4. Chapter 4

**I disclaim. I own nothing.**

**AN: So sorry about the lack of updates. My new schedule is a beast leaving me very little time to write or post. But neither this fic or Once I was have been abandon and I'm doing my best to work out a regular updating schedule. Hopefully that will be soon.**

**Chapter 4**

"Dude, I can't believe you're not fighting this."

Standing at the top of the stairs in what was now Tara's bedroom, Opie struggled to keep a hold of the twenty ton desk his sister just had to have while shooting his best friend a questioning frown. "I didn't hear you telling Mary and Piney you weren't moving shit."

Jax had been called many things-cocky, arrogant, spoiled-mostly by Tara. But he'd never been called stupid. Which meant he knew better than to say no to Mary and Piney Winston. "I'm talking about the room. Letting them give it to Tara instead of to you."

Walking backwards Opie moved to the spot in the large loft space where his sister had already told him she wanted the desk. Tara's bed and dresser were already in place as well as a couple of bookshelves. The desk was the last piece of large furniture that needed to be moved, much to the relief of Opie's back, arms, and shoulders. "I didn't let them do shit. They _told_ me this was how it's going to be." If he could have, he would have gave an indifferent jerk of his shoulders, but the desk prevented that. "Besides, she's the oldest."

It was obvious there would be no reasoning with his friend as Jax fully believed Opie should have thrown his weight around. His age didn't prevent him from understanding that the world they lived in was very male dominated and he figured being Piney's only son should have afforded Opie the right to attempt to get the better room before his sister.

"I swear, you're more fucked up about this then I am." Opie commented as he lowered the desk into place.

"Well someone has to be offended for you, bro." Jax figured it was safer to let his friend believe that than the fact that he was pissed he was now being deprived of seeing Tara going from the bathroom to her bedroom wrapped in nothing but a towel. Especially when he was getting really good at timing her showers so that he would be walking out of Opie's room when Tara stepped out of the bathroom.

Opie didn't know exactly what was pissing Jax off about this, but he seriously doubted his friend was offended for him. "Whatever man." Going to the corner of the room where Tara had set up their parents old record player he flipped through the albums before deciding on _Led Zeppelin._

"I can't believe Tara's still using a fucking record player."

"The only way to listen to Zeppelin."

Practically throwing himself across Tara's bed, Jax allowed his gaze to travel around the room taking in the posters she'd already hung all over the walls-Zeppelin and The Stones, The Beatles and The Doors. As well as individual posters of Lennon and McCarthy, Jagger and Morrison, Plant and Page. "The two of your were born in the wrong fucking decade."

"Because we have enough sense to like real music?" Opie returned as he heard the girls come up the stairs.

"You have a record player that's like a thousand years old." Wendy was saying as she stepped into the loft.

"Other than live do you know a better way to listen to Zeppelin?" Tara tossed out.

Bringing up the rear Donna rolled her eyes at her two friends, it seemed like they'd been going around about the same things since they hung the posters in Tara's room. Wendy thought Tara needed posters of more modern singers, needed to buy a stereo with a CD player, and pressure her father into getting her cable and a TV to play it on. And for her part, Tara seemed to just be ignoring Wendy.

"Jesus Christ, it's like you two share a brain." Jax mumbled.

"Jax," Tara dropped the backpack she was carrying to walk to the bed to tug on Jax's arm. "Out of my bed."

"I've been lugging your shit up here all morning-"

"Which is exactly why I want you up. You've been sweating and probably stink to hell and back. Up, now."

Instead of getting up, Jax caught Tara's wrist to pull her down onto the bed with him. Knowing her as long as he did, he had no problem finding her most ticklish spots. It wasn't until her body jerked and arched under his that he realized just how bad an idea that was. He thought it was in his best interest to remind himself that her brother and his best friend was the same person. And that person acted like his one job in life was taking care of his sister. But it was getting harder and harder for Jax to remember that whenever he looked at Tara. Especially when she was under him revealing more of her stomach to him as she laughed.

It wasn't entirely clear to Donna who was enjoying the romp in the bed more, Jax or Tara, as they were both grinning like maniacs. She couldn't help but to laugh at them, that is until she saw Opie's face. Despite the fact that she was just getting to know Opie, Donna didn't think he was fully aware of the mutual crush that had developed between his sister and best friend. But looking at him now it was clear he didn't like whatever was going on in the bed.

"That's enough." Opie's voice was low, but firm. And he didn't wait for Jax to move, simply walked over to the bed and pulled his sister to her feet by her arm. "We gotta get this shit finished before heading out."

Sure that getting to the movies on time was the least of Opie's concern, Donna couldn't help but notice the protective way he pulled Tara to his side. The dynamic wasn't one she fully understood. Jax was Opie's best friend, Opie was Tara's favorite person in the world, and Jax and Tara sent each other "spinning like tops" as her mother would say. But Jax was always with a bunch of girls that weren't Tara, and Tara's only boyfriend was completely unlike Jax, while Opie never seemed entirely comfortable when reminded of the fact that Tara was indeed a girl. Both Tara and Jax had enough sense not to act on whatever they were feeling for each other, though how much that had to do with Opie she didn't know.

"How are we going to be late if we haven't even picked out the movie yet?"

"You know what I mean. We have to get out of the house before-"

"Tara's not leaving this house until she finishes her homework."

"Fuck." Tara released the word on a soft sigh as her mother appeared at the top of the stairs with Gemma. She didn't even know how they managed to get all the way to the top without making a sound, especially considering the heels Gemma always seemed to be in.

"What was that young lady?"

Tara could have said something about Mary not getting on Opie about his grades. She could have mentioned that the only reason Opie was doing better than her in European History was because his teacher, Mr. Martin, was scared of Piney. Instead she only shook her head. "Nothing. I need to finish bringing my stuff up so I can study."

Mary and Gemma stepped fully into the space as the five teenagers trooped back down the stairs. Gemma wondered if Mary even realized that Jax was lounging in Tara's bed like he belonged there.

"You should give her a break."

"I gave her a break." Mary tried to keep the harshness out of her voice. It only just worked. "And she started failing European History."

Gemma's eyes wondered around the room, taking in the posters of men she dreamed about in her own teenage years. "You need to stop worrying about her grades and start trying to do something about this little problem here."

Mary frowned. "What problem?"

"Tara's preoccupation with musicians. Especially long haired pretty ones with sexy accents."

Mary rolled her eyes. Leave it to Gemma to focus on all the wrong things. "She has a thing for Robert Plant." Mary was sure there was some current singer most of the girls Tara's age were going stupid over. She didn't see the problem with Tara going back a ways to find one worth going crazy for. "I don't see how that's a problem."

"You keep pushing her away from the club, you don't see the move she's making is lateral. Around here the Sons _are_ rock stars, that's what Tara's going for."

Sometimes Mary would swear talking to Gemma made her head hurt. "I don't even see the dots you're connecting."

Gemma figured Mary didn't want to see. Maybe it wasn't true for herself or even for Mary, but Tara was definitely the type of girl who was going to go for a guy like her father. Even if she wasn't fully aware of just what she was doing. "You don't want to see the problem fine. But don't blame me when she ends up pregnant by the first pretty face with a guitar and accent that she meets."

* * *

Donna had known, the second she and Wendy stepped off the Winstons' front porch, that this was a bad idea. Sure she and Wendy were friends. But they never hung out together just the two of them. In theory it shouldn't have been weird, they spent a crazy amount of time together. But it just felt odd, from those first steps off the porch until they reached Fun Town. They floundered for things to talk about and the conversation seemed to always drift around to the one thing they had in common: Tara. Which just made things weirder.

It really shouldn't have been so hard. When the three of them were together it was always easy. Donna understood they were both closer to Tara than they were each other but she never expected to feel so disconnected from Wendy once it was just the two of them.

"I've never been here at night."

Wendy turned to Donna with a frown. "Come on we…Oh, no that was just me and Winston last year. Why didn't you come?"

Donna jerked her shoulders. "Can't remember. Ope and Jax weren't with you guys?"

"Not at first."

Once again the conversation drifted off. They wandered the grounds, there were several things Donna wanted to try, but Wendy seemed content to walk around. Well, content until she caught sight of a couple of their other classmates.

"Wait right here, I'll be back."

She was gone before Donna could stop her. As awkward as things had been, Donna didn't want to be left alone.

"You're getting ditched, too, huh?"

It was ridiculous to jump, but she did. And felt her face turn five different shades of red when she turned to look up into Opie's grinning face.

"Didn't mean to scare you."

"I don't think my heart could have handled it if you did."

"Sorry."

But he was still grinning when he said it, leading Donna to believe that he wasn't sorry at all. "You guys just get here?"

Opie shook his head as he placed a hand on Donna's elbow to lead her out of the way of a group of kids coming their way. "Got here about twenty minutes ago. Jax and Kyle zeroed in on the Clarke cousins soon as we got here, though. Kind of got sick of being a part of that."

It wouldn't do to read more into what he said, but Donna's heart refused to let her head take the lead when it came to Opie. More than likely he did just get sick of being the fifth wheel. But Donna had seen Opie with girls, more she'd seen the way Sara Clarke had look at Opie. There was no doubt in her mind that Kyle had been the fifth wheel in that scenario. Yet it had been Opie who walked away. Part of her couldn't help but wonder-hope-that he walked away for her. But just as her heart began to race at the thought, another option occurred to her. "Winston's not here. Your mom wouldn't let her come."

"Yeah, I figured that." Opie muttered. Mary had made it pretty clear Tara wouldn't be allowed to go anywhere until she brought her English grade back up. "How long have you been here? Gotten on any rides or anything?"

Okay, Donna thought as she began to walk, he wasn't looking for his sister. Her brain insisted that he was just being nice. Because over the last couple years, despite not spending much time together, Opie had never been anything but nice to her. "I think we've been here about thirty minutes. But we haven't done anything. I'm more interested in the games than the rides though. Wanted try to win one of those big ass stuffed animals."

Opie glanced over his shoulder at the ring toss booth where giant stuffed animals hung over the bottles. "Yeah? Let's go see what you got."

"Oh, I…" She thought about telling him that she shouldn't go too far, that she needed to be where Wendy could find her. But his eyes were so pretty when he smiled. And her heart was racing from the knowledge that he was smiling at her. "Okay."

* * *

"You and your sister are the only people I know who can make going to San Diego sound like a punishment." An hour later and Donna was once again wandering around the carnival. Only this time the conversation never lagged, there was a giant Bugs Bunny in her arms, and Opie was walking close by her side.

"You don't know Mary. My mom can make a punishment out of anything, including a trip to San Diego." Because he wanted to put his arm around her, Opie kept his hands shoved in his pockets. He liked how small she was, more he liked the way she could make him forget how small she was. Other than her height there was nothing fragile about Donna.

"It's her sister that lives there, right?" She glanced over to see him nod. "Are they anything alike?"

Opie laughed. "Not really. Bea is kind of a space cadet. She married a guy that's almost as big an airhead. They don't believe in rules or shit like that, let us do whatever the hell we want."

"Yeah, I really don't see how that could be a punishment. Are your cousins total bitches or something."

As they walked passed the cotton candy stand, Opie casually plucked a bag off the cart and continued on as if nothing happened. "Steffi and Marta are cool."

The move was so casual, Donna wasn't entirely sure what to do with it. She'd seen him and Jax do things like that before and it was the only time she was reminded of the club they grew up in. She didn't spend much time at the clubhouse. Tara never seemed to mind, especially after she told her friend it was because of her parents. Apparently it was a common occurrence in Charming. And while her parents didn't want her hanging around the clubhouse, Donna was never comfortable enough there to argue with them. The members all put Donna on edge, especially the one they called Tig. Something about the guy's eyes, ice blue and frantic, gave her the creeps. Which was why she found it so odd that he was the one that was so unbelievable sweet to Tara and the one she in turn was absolutely crazy about.

At times it was hard for her to reconcile her friends with the environment they grew up in. The women walked around scantily clad and she heard the way the men talked about them. Yet Mary Winston and Gemma Teller, who were both very much apart of the life, were as 'take no shit' as they come. And Opie, though he probably wouldn't like it so she'd never say to his face, was just so ridiculously sweet. No doubt he could change, but she couldn't imagine the boy she was with now ever treating a woman badly.

* * *

"Hey,"

The arms wrapped around her waist and she couldn't fight her initial reaction to jump. But despite the noise of the party, Tara recognized the low chuckle, and rammed her elbow back into Jax's stomach. "You're such an asshole."

"You move so fast, darling. Was just trying to catch you."

It would be so easy to give in to the low promise of his voice, but Tara knew better. He wasn't always this smooth. Of course he never lacked in confidence that tilted towards cocky. But all it took was the first croweater to spread her legs for him to have him bypassing cocky and shooting straight to obnoxious. It didn't stop her stomach from fluttering whenever he smiled at her, a smile her heart believed he never gave anyone else.

"Where you off to in such a rush?"

"Looking for my brother. Have you seen him?"

"Out back taking the jockstraps for their allowances." Jax was surprised by just how much he liked having her close. She tried to move away, put some distance between them, but he merely tightened his hold on her.

"Jax, let up. I need to find Ope so we can get home." She placed her hands on his arms in an attempt to pry them apart, but it was all but useless.

"What part of he's cleaning up don't you understand. Where'd you disappear to? Figured you'd be back there in on it." Jax didn't know what it was but when it came to shooting dice the Winstons cleaned up. Actually when it came to any game with money the Winstons cleaned up. Because he still couldn't prove how they cheated or even if they cheated, Jax found it best to just not play with them.

Realizing it was pointless trying to get away from him, Tara relaxed back against Jax. "I saw Lowell. He was with Chris and Miller…"

And she thought she could talk him out of getting high. Lowell had acted like a right asshole when he and Tara broke up, but that didn't stop her from doing whatever she could to pull the kid out of trouble. Lowell didn't always listen to her, but apparently he did often enough that she continued to try with him. "Chris and Miller…" Jax repeated the names. Lowell seemed to be hell bent on being their best customer. "I thought you weren't going to get involved with shit like that again."

"I figured I could get to Lowell before…" She hadn't.

"Why don't you say something to Wendy? Let her try to deal with it."

Tara shook her head. That didn't leave her with a good feeling. Tara had smoked her share of joints but Wendy and Lowell were starting to dabble in the harder stuff and that just wasn't her thing. And she didn't understand how Wendy could do anything for Lowell if she was high herself. "I don't think she'll be much help."

"The kid wants to fuck up, let him fuck up. He's not your problem, babe."

"And Wendy?"

"She's not your problem either."  
"She's one of my best friends. You'd let Opie fuck his life up?"

Jax spun her around so that he could look into her eyes. "And answer to you if something happens to your baby brother? That's not a chance I'm willing to take." When she laughed, the cloud of worry that he saw in her eyes lifted and he felt more accomplished than he should have. "Want me to grab you a beer?"

"No. I really do need to get home."

"Why?" It wasn't often he and Tara spent much time together just the two of them. Sometimes Jax would swear Opie could hear every dirty thought he had about Tara and refused to leave them alone. But as long as Opie was pulling in cash, he wouldn't be coming back to the party soon. Jax wasn't sure when he'd get an opportunity like this again.

"We're heading out in the morning. If I know Mary she's going to have us up at the ass crack of dawn so we can get on the road."

Right, Jax thought, Mary was taking Tara and Opie to her sister's in San Diego for a week. "You can't have a beer or something before you go."

When he was looking at her with those big blue puppy eyes she was beyond tempted. But if Opie didn't stumble his ass home until late she was going to have to deal with listening to Mary bitch at him first thing in the morning. It was best to do that on a full nights sleep. "Can't."

"Well at least let me walk you home. Piney and Ope would have my head if I let you go alone."

He was still giving her the puppy eyes and she found herself agreeing.


End file.
